Shen Yun Is Said to Be Under Federal Investigation Over Possible Visa Fraud

Federal authorities are conducting a criminal investigation into Shen Yun Performing Arts, the touring dance group run by the Falun Gong religious movement, according to nine people with knowledge of the matter.

The investigation is being overseen by the United States Department of Homeland Security and the State Department, as well as federal prosecutors in Manhattan. It has focused at least in part on possible visa fraud, some of the people said.

The full scope of the inquiry is unclear, and it may not result in any charges. But it is taking place during a period of intense scrutiny for Shen Yun.

Last year, a New York Times investigation revealed that the dance group has exploited its young performers, typically the children of Falun Gong followers, by paying them little or nothing to work long hours and keep grueling schedules.

New York regulators have separately begun an inquiry into whether the group has complied with state labor law, and a former performer has filed a lawsuit accusing Shen Yun of forced labor and human trafficking.

The agents conducting the federal criminal investigation have also sought information about Shen Yun’s financial and labor practices, including whether performers were directed to smuggle cash into the United States when returning from tours overseas, according to people with knowledge of the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing inquiry.